Battle Ground Public Schools to host Levy Information Nights

Battle ground public schools to host levy information nights

January 5, 2016

Battle Ground Public Schools will host three Levy Information Nights to provide details and answer questions about Proposition 2, the district's replacement levy for Educational Programs, Maintenance and Operations that will be on the Feb. 14 ballot.

All members of the community are invited to the public events, which will be held:

At the events, school district administrators will present information about the educational programs, maintenance and operations levy and then answer questions. More information about the levy and the information nights is available at www.battlegroundps.org/levy.

In December, Battle Ground Public Schools' Board of Directors voted to put the replacement levy on the Feb. 14 special election ballot. This levy is not a new tax. It will replace the school district's current levy, which provides about 23 percent of the district's total operating budget and expires at the end of 2017. The tax rate for the replacement levy is projected to stay the same as the 2016 levy rate.

Levy dollars make up the difference between what the state provides for K-12 education and what it costs to operate schools while providing a quality learning environment. Levy dollars are pooled with state funds to help keep class sizes small, maintain facilities, supply technology resources to students, and provide for staff that enhance security, learning experiences and after-school activities.

Much of what the levy pays for is people. People are key to providing a quality education and getting students the support they need in both academics and social-emotional learning. Battle Ground's levy helps keep class sizes small by providing an additional 260 teachers and school and district support staff above what the state funds. Teachers lead classes and programs and classified staff provide educational and administrative support in multiple areas, from health services and safety to office staffing and maintenance.

Below are just some examples of what the levy funds:

About 25 percent of teachers, support and administrative staff. This includes:

If approved by voters, the four-year levy will raise: $31,680,000 in 2018, $33,260,000 in 2019, $34,930,000 in 2020, and $36,670,000 in 2021. The levy rate is projected to remain the same as the 2016 levy rate, which is $3.66 per $1,000 of assessed property value. The actual impact on property owners will depend on the increase or decrease in assessed value.

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